Conductor-wire-reeling mechanism for telephones.



G. W. FERGUSON.

CONDUCTOR WIRE BERLINO MBOHANISM POR TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJB, 1913.

1,1 16,402. Patented Nov. 1o, 1914.

UNITED sind:

PATENT CHARLES W. FERGUSON, F BUWER, 'WEST VVIRGINIA.

CONDUCTOR-WIRE-REELING MECHANISM FOR TELEHONES.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patenteufnov. io, 1ere.,

Application filed February 18, 1913. Serial No. 749,230.

10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. FERGU- sozv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bower, in the county of' Braxton and State vof West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conductor W'ire Reeling Mechanism for4 Telephones; and I do hereby declare the followo vide for properly connecting the terminal sections Within the base of the telephone in such manner that the electrical circuit is uninterrupted, regardless of the position of the reel on Which the terminal sections are Wound. i

Another object of the invention isv to embed the terminal sections Within a Hat tape so that they may be conveniently and smoothly Wound upon the reel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which operates automatically for Winding and un Winding the tape.

Another object ofthe invention is to pro'- vide for holding the reel at any desired position.

. Another obj ect is to provide for automatically releasing the `reel When the receiver is replaced on its support.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of this character which is simple of conif struction and operation, compact, durable,

economical of manufacture and maintenance, and thoroughly efficient.

Other objects and advantageslmay be recited hereinafter and in the claims. a

In the accompanying drawings, which supplement this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the base and standard of a desk-telephone, the transmitter and receiver being shown in elevation, and the electric circuits and connections being diagrammatical. Fig. 2 is a `reduced horizontal sectional viertT through the base on the line 2--2 of Fig. i.

Referring to these drawings, in which similar reference characters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views, the telephone stand 'consists of the usual form of shaft or standard 5 and the base 6, the latter being apertured and screw-' threaded at 7, and thereby adapted to be tted to any ordinary shaft 5. The base comprises a casing having a bottomB, said bottom being formed with' a central cylindrical boss 9 which is centrally apertured and screw-threaded for receiving an axle l0. A reel or drum 11 is mounted for rotation on the axle l0, and a spring 12 has one end secured to the boss 9 and its other end secured to the reel ll, by means of a pin 13. The reel is formed With a drum'section 14 to which the tape l5 is connected at i6. This tape may be of any suitable fabric or other flexible material, and has the conductor Wires a, I), c, e and g embedded therein, these Wires being insulated from each other and held in fixed relation to each other throughout the len th of the tape. The drum section is per orated at 1'? for allowing the conductor Wires to pass from the tape into the chamber i8 of the reel. The disk, which comprises the upper section of the reel, is apertured at 19 for allowing the conductor Wires to pass upward therethroughand connect respectively With rings 20, 21, 22, A23 and 24, of conducting material; these rings being separated from the reel by means of av disk 25 of insulating material.

.An apertured brush holder 26 is secured to the casing 6, and carries brushes 27, 28,

ment 34 of a circuit-closer which is securely -seated upon the axle l0. The elements 34, 35, 36 and 37 constitute bars or strips of springy `conducting material Which are rmly seated in a base 38 of non-conducting material, saidbase .being Fixed on the .axle 10l by means of an upwardlyA extend- 1n screw-threaded -stud 39, or by other suitable means. i

The conductor rings 20 to A24 inclusive are: 'lnsulated from each other, as indicated at ner, excep'tthat the brush 31 and element 34 are normally in contact, so that the bell circuit is normally closed. f

The receiver 41 is supported bythe yusual lever-arm 42 which is pivoted to theishaft 5 at 43. A plunger rod 44 is pivoted to the lever-arm at 45 and carries an inverted cone or wedge 46 of insulating material.

The plunger 44 is provided with a pivot 47 which extends through a slot in one end of a lever 4S which is pivoted at 49 to an arm 50 extending from the Wall of the casing 6. Upon the peripheral portion of the reel is mounted a tooth-ring or ratchet member 51, and the free end of the lever 48 is normally disposed over one side of the ring 51, and is adapted to be swung downward into engagement with the teeth of the ring. A pin or stud 52y extends into proximity or contact with said free end and coacts there- With for positively stopping and holding the ratchet member; so as to hold the reel in any desired position.

In operation, assuming that a person has just completed a phone message and hung up the receiver, the elements ofthe phone are substantially in the position shown in Fig. l, the ratchet being released. As soon as the phone is returned to the desk, the spring 12 causes the reel to rotate to Wind the tape 15 thereon, so that -the tape will then be eiiectually stored Within the base of the phone, out of the way of all persons. Now, assuming that the central operator calls in the usual manner, the current passes through the bell 5,3, conductor a, ring 20, brush 31, conductor element 34, connecting wire b', brush 30, ring 21, and conductor wire 6,' so that the bell rings and calls the user. The user now picks yup the phonestand, and in drawing it toward yhim pulls the tape 15, which (as usual) has its outer end secured to the desk or Wall, and in thus pulling the tape, he causes the reel to rotate, so as to wind up the spring 12. The user now lifts 'the receiver from the support 42, and -the latter is raised by means of a spring 54, thereby raising the wedge 46'; and actuating the lever 48, so that its free end engages with the ratchet 51 and holds the reel, so as to prevent it from turning and Winding up the tape prematurely. The wedge 46 having been raised, the upper -ends of the elements'34 and 37 spring into proximity, so as to Contact with the' elements 35 and-36 respectively, and close the respective circuits, at-the same time v opening the cirductor b; While the Areceiver circuit passesl from the secondary coil of the transformer 56, through the conductor c, ring23, brush 28, 'connecting wire e', circuit closer elements 37 and 36 and conductor f to the receiver, returning through the conductor g, brush 27, ring 24, and thence through the conductor g.

It will be noted that theconductor Z7 constitutes the return conductor for the bell circuit and also for the transmitter circuit, so that only live conductors are required to complete the several circuits through the tape, While only two line wires are required, viz., h and b.

By means of the structural arrangement described in the foregoing, Il 'effectually eliminate the annoyance of the terminal sections which usually Vbecome entangled an'd twisted upon the desk and which so often results in `breakage of the phone, by these terminal sections becoming engaged with some article, and thereby being dragged from the desk onto the floor. Therefore, it will 'be seen that I have provided a device of this character which is fully capable of attaining the foregoing objects, in a thoroughly practical and eiicient manner.

I do not-limit my invention to the exact detailsiof construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as 'herewith illustrated and described, but my invention may only be limited by a reasonable interpretation of the claims. l

I claim V v e 1. A desk telephone comprising a shank, a hollow base connected with the shank, a

boss projectingu'pwardl'y from the center of the bottom of the casingy and within the same, a reel horizontally vdisposed within the casing and upon the top o said boss, a pin extending through the reels and thread- Led in said boss 'and providing a bearing for the reel, a concentric series of rings 'disposed upon the upper side of the reel and rotatable therewith, said rings being insulated from thereel and from each other, a tape having 'conducting wires embedded therein and having its free end secured tothe reel, each of said wires being connected with one of said rings, a 'U-shaped brush-holder having its 'closed endsecured to the'casing and itsifree 'ends extending horizontally therein .i and in a Avertical plane, brush 'members vertically slidable within said arms and each adapted to contact with one of said rings, springs disposed between said arms and surrounding said brushes and adapted to constantly hold the brushes in engagement with said rings, means connecting the brush members for conducting currents to the transmitterhnd receiver, anda spring surrounding said boss and having one of its ends connected with said reel whereby the reel may be wound.

2. A desk telephone comprising a hollow shank and a hollow base, a winding reel disposed withili lthe bottom of the base, a concentric series of rings disposed upon the upper side of the reel and beinginsulated therefrom and from each other, a tapefor conductor wires being secured to the reel and adapted to be wound thereupon, a plurality of brushes vertically and slidably supported within the base and adapted to con tact with said rings, a-pair of spaced and y opposite spring iingers disposed'within the base, a pair of spacedand oppositeiy disposed contacts positioned between said ingers and-.each adapted to be engaged by one of said spring ingers, a `receiver support pivot-ed to the shank, a rod connected with the receiver support, an

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inverted cone upon the free end of said rod and adapted to engage said spring fingers to hold the same out of engagement with said contacts, an arm extending from one-end of one brush, and contacting with one of said spring fingers when the spring ingers are .engaged by said cone, a conductor connecting another of said brushes with said last mentioned spring nger whereby a circuit for ringing the telephone bell is made, conducting wires -between. one of said 'brushes and the contact of said last mentioned spring finger orl v closing the transmitter circuit when the cone is raised from engagement with said spring fingers,l conducting means connecting two other of said brushes with the other of said f spring fingers and 'contacts wherebyv the re- -ceiver` circuit is closed when' the;l cone 1s raised vfrom engagement with said spring fingers. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of .two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES W. FERGUSON. Witnesseszf DENsAL TRUSLER,

SHERMAN ELVA BRAGG.

: the Commissioner of retenu, 

